Effect of Au Content on Thermal Stability and Mechanical Properties of Au-Cu-Ag-Si Bulk Metallic Glasses

The thermal stability, glass-forming ability (GFA), and mechanical and electrical properties of Au-based Au _x Si₁₇Cu_75.5–x Ag_7.5 (x = 40 to 75.5 at. pct) metallic glasses were investigated. The glass transition temperature (T _g ) and crystallization temperature (T _x ) decreased with increasing Au content. The ultralow T _g values below 373 K (100 °C) were obtained for alloys with x = 55 to 75.5. The alloys with x = 45 to 70 exhibited a high stabilization of supercooled liquid and a high GFA, and the supercooled liquid region and critical sample diameter for glass formation were in the range of 31 K to 50 K and 2 to 5 mm, respectively. The compressive fracture strength (σ _c,f ), Young’s modulus (E), and Vicker’s hardness (H _v ) of the bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) decreased with increasing Au content. A linear correlation between Au concentration and the characteristic temperature, i.e., T _g and T _x , and mechanical properties, i.e., σ _c,f , E, and H _v , as well as electrical resistivity can be found in the BMGs, which will be helpful for the composition design of the desirable Au-based BMGs with tunable physical properties.